nakaw load

Sen. Bam pushes daily load notifications to resolve ‘nakaw load’ issue

Sen. Bam Aquino, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology, instructed telecommunications companies to provide free daily notifications to subscribers regarding their load balance.

“Bigyan na ng resibo araw-araw ang mga subscriber at bigyan ng pagkakataong mag-reklamo kapag mayroong nakitang mali” said Sen. Bam, who spearheaded the committee hearing on the complaints of subscribers regarding disappearing load.

According to Sen. Bam, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has committed to issue a memorandum circular that aims to address the problem of disappearing load or “nakaw load”, which will include his suggestion of daily notifications or receipts to subscribers.

“Bantayan natin para matiyak na maglalabas talaga ang NTC ng memorandum circular upang maipatupad ang pagbibigay ng digital na resibo o notification ang mga subscribers,” said Sen. Bam, referring to the NTC’s commitment to release the memorandum by June or July.

The NTC said that it also plans to include a minimum two-step process for subscribing to value-added services (VAS).

For their part, the telecommunications companies committed to the implementation of a three- or four-step verification process so clients are well-informed of the services they subscribe to.

“Ang hinahanap natin ay aksiyon. Solusyunan na natin agad itong isyu ng nawawalang prepaid load,” insisted Sen. Bam, the only senator in the hearing.

 The hearing was called by Sen. Bam through Senate Resolution No. 595, directing the committee to determine the capacity and readiness of relevant government agencies and regulators to implement rules that will protect prepaid mobile subscribers.

Sen. Bam to hear updates on ‘Nakaw Load’ fixes

Telecommunications companies are expected to present an update on their respective solutions when Senator Bam Aquino resumes the probe into consumer complaints about disappearance of prepaid loads or the so-called “nakaw load” on Monday (April 23).

“We identified specific solutions during the first hearing so that prepaid consumers no longer encounter dubious load deductions,” said Sen. Bam, who is spearheading the investigation as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

“Mahigit isang buwan na mula noon kaya inaasahan nating naipatupad na ang mga solusyong ito,” Sen. Bam added.

During the committee’s initial hearing on March 5, Sen. Bam insisted that telecommunication companies must be transparent by issuing notifications to their subscribers when load is credited or deducted to their account

“Mahalagang agad na malaman ng subscribers kung may nadadagdag o nababawas na load sa kanilang account sa pamamagitan ng abiso mula sa telco,” said Sen. Bam.

Through notifications, subscribers will be able to monitor their load spending and will allow them to immediately cancel services they do not wish to avail.

Sen. Bam also called on telcos to implement an audit of all their value-added service (VAS) subscription, to protect consumers against unwarranted deductions from their prepaid load.

A telco also committed to implement a system refresh that will opt-out all of their subscribers to all VAS subscriptions and impose a stricter procedure when availing of these extra services.

The committee will resume its investigation on Monday (April 23), 10 a.m. at the Recto Room of the Senate of the Philippines.

The hearing was called by Sen. Bam through Senate Resolution No. 595, directing the committee to determine the capacity and readiness of relevant government agencies and regulators to implement rules that will protect prepaid mobile subscribers.

Sen. Bam: DTI should file nakaw load cases against fraudulent VAS providers

Unscrupulous value-added services (VAS) providers that deprive subscribers of their prepaid loads should be dealt the full force of the law, according to Sen. Bam Aquino.

In a radio interview, Sen. Bam said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other concerned government agencies will work together to file criminal cases and punish these deceitful VAS providers.

“Lumalabas na may mga pasaway na VAS providers na nandadaya ng subscribers,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

 During the committee hearing on the issue of the disappearance of prepaid loads, a resource person testified that clicking “X” on a pop-up resulted in an opt-in to the unwanted VAS.

 “Dapat habulin ng DTI ang mga manlolokong VAS provider. Hindi tama na pagpindot mo ng ‘x’ ay opt-in na pala iyon sa VAS. Panloloko ito sa mga subscriber,” stressed Sen. Bam.

One telecommunications provider signified its plan to conduct a system refresh where all of its subscribers will be opted-out of their VAS subscriptions and will have to register again through stricter means.

 Another telco said it is already implementing a two-step verification process to protect its subscribers.

 During the hearing, Sen. Bam emphasized that transparency is the first step to solving the sudden disappearance of prepaid mobile loads or “nakaw load”.

Sen. Bam said telcos should issue notifications to their subscribers when load is credited or deducted to their account. This way, Sen. Bam said subscribers will have a way monitor their load spending and will allow them to immediately cancel services they do not wish to avail.

 Instead of waiting for a legislation to be passed into law, Sen. Bam encouraged telcos to just comply with the proposed solution, which will help them address the problem of “nakaw load.”

“Ang batas, isang taon iyan bago mabuo. Mas maganda siguro kung uunahan na nila upang mabigyan na ng agarang solusyon ang matagal nang problemang ito,” said Sen. Bam.

Sen. Bam to telcos: Establish complete transparency on Nakaw-Load

Senator Bam Aquino emphasized that transparency on the part of telecommunications companies is the first step to solving consumer complaints about disappearance of prepaid mobile loads or “nakaw load”.
 
During the hearing of the Committee on Science and Technology on the issue, Sen. Bam said that the immediate solution is for telcos to issue notifications to their subscribers when load is credited or deducted to their account.
 
“There was a clear solution presented during the hearing. Sa bawat load na pumasok at ibinawas sa atin, dapat may matatanggap na tayong libreng notification,” said Sen. Bam, who led the hearing as chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.
 
Sen. Bam said the notifications could help subscribers monitor their load spending and will allow them to immediately cancel services they do not wish to avail.
 
“Kapag may notification at nakita natin na hindi tama, may pagkakataon tayong magreklamo agad-agad at muling makuha ang load na ibinawas sa atin,” added Sen. Bam.
 
Sen. Bam hopes that telecommunications companies should comply with the proposed solution, saying it’s a simple way to solve the long-standing problem of disappearing prepaid load.
 
“It’s a good solution at hindi rin iyan malaking gastos. Ang pinakamahalaga, alam natin kung saan napupunta ang ating pera,” Sen. Bam said.
 
Sen. Bam also urged telecommunication companies to conduct a complete audit of all their value-added subscriptions (VAS), to protect consumers against unwarranted deductions from their prepaid load.
 
One telco already admitted that they are looking to suspend some 3rd party providers of value-added services (VAS).
 
In the hearing, a resource person testified that clicking “X” on a pop-up resulted in an opt-in to an unwanted VAS.
 
“Mahalagang makasuhan ang VAS providers na nanloloko sa ating mga kababayan sa kanilang mapanlinlang na proseso sa pagpaparehistro,” added Sen. Bam.
 
The senator also welcomed one telco’s move for a system refresh that will opt-out all of their subscribers to all VAS subscriptions and, thereafter, implement a stricter procedure when availing of these extra services. Another telco promised to consider this move.
 
The lawmaker also called on concerned government agencies, such as the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), to get their acts together in addressing consumer complaints.
 
“Madalas nalilito ang ating mga kababayan kung saan napupunta ang kanilang load kaya kailangan nang ipatupad ang load notifications. Mahalaga rin na ibalik sa subscriber within 24 hours ang load deduction na ireklamo nila,” said Sen. Bam.
 
The hearing was called on Sen. Bam through Senate Resolution No. 595, directing the committee to determine the capacity and readiness of relevant government agencies and regulators to implement rules that will protect prepaid mobile subscribers.

Sen. Bam to probe consumer complaints on ‘nakaw load’

In response to the numerous complaints about the disappearance of prepaid mobile loads or “nakaw load”, Sen. Bam Aquino will conduct an investigation on Monday (March 5) to determine steps to address the problem and prevent it from happening in the future.

Sen. Bam filed Senate Resolution No.  595, directing the Committee on Science and Technology to determine the capacity and readiness of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), other relevant government agencies and regulators to implement rules that will protect prepaid mobile subscribers.

 Expected to attend the hearing are representatives from consumer groups, IT advocacy groups, DICT, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) and telecommunication companies Smart, Globe and PLDT.

 As the country’s primary agency for communications technology, Sen. Bam said the DICT is mandated under Republic Act No. 10844 or the DICT Act of 2015 to provide oversight over agencies governing and regulating ICT sector and ensure consumer protection and welfare.

According to the NTC, around 97 percent, or around 126 million, of the country’s 130 million mobile phone owners are prepaid subscribers.

 “Huwag natin hayaang manakawan ng pera ang ating mga kababayan. We cannot ignore these consumer reports of the disappearance of prepaid mobile credits, including mischarges, hidden charges and errors in opt out mechanisms,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology.

 With the Department of Trade and Industry and the NTC both mandated to protect consumers of prepaid mobile credits, Sen. Bam said it is important that these two agencies are well-coordinated and must sufficiently facilitate and address consumer complaints.

“Let’s check and ensure that our government agencies and regulators are equipped with the systems, equipment and technical capacity to determine the compliance of telcos,” said Sen. Bam.

 In addition, concerned government agencies such as the DTI and NTC should have the capacity to respond to complaint related to the abrupt expiration or disappearance of prepaid mobile credits.

Sen. Bam is the current chairman of the Committee on Science and Technology. He is the principal sponsor and a co-author of Republic Act 10929 or the Free Internet in Public Places Act.

 

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